Once again mystery fevers, the scourge of poor Adivasis in Adilabad, have come to haunt the agency area in the district with many tribal hamlets reporting at least 10 people sick and bedridden. The fever has already claimed lives of 12-year-olds Sedmaki Vignesh of Dubba in Ichoda mandal and Kumra Laxmi of Mankapur in Narnoor mandal, both Tribal Welfare Ashram School students.
Unlike in the past, there is no apparent cause for the resurgence of viral fevers, not even bad sanitation, which the Health Department has always blamed the tribal people of.
Take the example of Gondguda hamlet of Addesara gram panchayat in Jainoor mandal or for that matter the Tadiguda, Chithakarra or Kishannaik tanda in the same gram panchayat.
The hamlets are dry and clean and nowhere is stagnant water or garbage dumps to be seen or there is any evidence of contamination of drinking water. Yet, at least 12 of the 40 households in the Gondguda have patients bedridden owing to running fever since the last few days.
Kinaka Sujata, wife of village Patel Hanmanthu, is down with fever since the last four days. “No, neither have I approached the hospital nor the ANM has come to the village during the last one week,” Sujata asserts.
Sujata and some others in the village, has been consuming medicine given by the visiting quack who seems to have diagnosed the fever to be malaria. However, there is no improvement in their condition.
Worse is the condition of the likes of poor Atram Rambhabai and her son Suresh who cannot afford treatment even from the quack. “Atram Turpabai, who lives next door, also needs to be attended by doctors without any further loss of time,” opines sarpanch Pendra Sheku.
Increasing number of fever cases are also being reported from the tribal mandals of Utnoor, Narnoor and Sirpur (U). District Malaria Officer Alham Ravi said the incidence is more in Jainoor and Narnoor.
“There are about 25 positive malaria cases coming from the villages under the Primary Health Sub Centres of Malangi and Devapur in Narnoor mandal. We are surprised over this as these villages are not known to be prone to the disease,” Dr. Ravi stated.
Unlike in the past, there is no apparent cause for the resurgence of viral fevers, not even bad sanitation
